Ron Noordhoff | Associate Success Stories
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During the thirty-six year history of the company, one employee has stood out for his enduring loyalty, commitment and ability to adapt to the changing landscape of the Napoleon group of companies. Ron Noordhoff began his career at Wolf Steel Ltd. in November of 1979, when the company had only been in business for three years. Ron was hired as a Welder, and at this time Wolf Steel Ltd. was manufacturing interior railings with a very small team of workers. Ron was there to help when the first Napoleon wood stove rolled off the assembly line, or rather off his work table. During his thirty-three year tenure, Ron has implemented, endured and welcomed many changes at Napoleon as well as grown his career to Corporate Building Maintenance Supervisor.
“When we were starting out, there were only a few guys in the company and when something broke, we fixed it ourselves. I have always been mechanically inclined so I didn’t mind getting in the machine and making it work again. The company needed to conserve resources because we were so small.”
Ron was part of a small but effective team, and in the early days everyone did everything. “There was little room for error and you had to learn fast and pay attention.” Ron has found that trial and error is the best way to move forward, he notes that keeping an open mind is the best way to operate when things are unpredictable.
Ron has seen the company progress from making one stove a day in a small workshop to producing about 550 fireplaces, barbeques and furnaces per day across four facilities. During this immense growth period Ron saw a shift from manual to automatic work processes, thus creating the need for more training and safety initiatives, and of course making Napoleon products better for our customers. Ron adapted to this change through training and education: he is a certified Gas Fitter, apprenticed as a Welder, and has grown his management skills through Georgian College courses, all with the encouragement of the company. By the mid 1990’s because of the changing nature of the company and increased workforce, Ron chose to focus his efforts on the maintenance of the buildings and equipment, evolving into a supervisory role. He finds joy in training others and he sees it as his way of giving back to the community.
“I like to share what I know with other people; and to teach people the tools and resources to make their own way in the working world. Seeing someone grasp a new task is really rewarding.”
Ron’s love for teaching and passing along knowledge is important in an industry with rapid changes. He never felt like he had to keep secrets about his trade and mechanical knowledge, it always felt right to share; “that’s how you grow, you give.”
Ron leads by example, has great mechanical knowledge, excellent problem solving skills and creativity. It has been these characteristics and skills that have contributed to Ron’s success at the company. Currently his role at Wolf Steel Ltd. is Corporate Building Maintenance Supervisor, he is responsible for a team of 20 maintenance associates made up of millwrights, electricians, gas fitters, welders, helpers, and technicians all faced with the challenge of maintaining the Napoleon facilities. Ron strives to streamline the maintenance operations and implements 5S initiatives at every opportunity.
Ron’s proven excellence and innovative nature are principles that we stand by at Napoleon and these values are expected of our entire workforce. We have pride in our associates and Ron feels equally proud of the company he has helped build.
“It has always felt good to be part of a company that was staying alive when so many companies around this area were closing their doors or outsourcing their manufacturing work. We are a progressive employer and because we are one of the largest employers in the area, we are giving back to the community. I like to think I had a hand in making Napoleon what it is today.”
The Napoleon Group of Companies is family owned and run, and the theme of family and team is felt throughout every facility. Ron values this team spirit in his everyday work life and even when overwhelmed with challenges, he wakes up everyday excited and happy to come to work. Ron sees his next challenge as making the most out of every resource used in the manufacturing process; he hopes to turn our scrap cardboard, plastic and metal into a commodity, thus maximizing investments and lessening our environmental impact.
Ron and the team at Napoleon embrace our ever growing and changing workforce with care, compassion, loyalty and encouragement. We support continuous improvement ideas from our associates and implement cost and time saving ideas regularly, it is with the ideas and innovations of our associates that Napoleon has been able to stay on the cutting edge of manufacturing.
Ron’s enduring loyalty and energy are valuable when part of the Napoleon team, his ingenuity and perseverance have made his role vital and rewarding for the company and himself.